Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Constructing social identity through multiple "us and them" : a grounded theory study of how contextual factors are manifested in the lives of residents of a vulnerable district in Brazil

Vincens, Natalia LU ; Stafström, Martin LU ; Ferreira, Efigênia and Emmelin, Maria LU (2020) In International Journal for Equity in Health 19(1).
Abstract

The association between contextual factors and health inequalities is well documented, also in Brazil. However, questions about how contextual factors actually affect health and well-being persist. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how contextual factors-i.e., social stratification and neighborhood opportunity structures-are manifested in the lives of the residents of a vulnerable district in Brazil. We used a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach based on 12 in-depth interviews. The core category constructing social identity through multiple "us and them" is supported by eight main categories that characterize different pairs of "us and them", based on internal and external aspects of the social processes involved. Our... (More)

The association between contextual factors and health inequalities is well documented, also in Brazil. However, questions about how contextual factors actually affect health and well-being persist. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how contextual factors-i.e., social stratification and neighborhood opportunity structures-are manifested in the lives of the residents of a vulnerable district in Brazil. We used a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach based on 12 in-depth interviews. The core category constructing social identity through multiple "us and them" is supported by eight main categories that characterize different pairs of "us and them", based on internal and external aspects of the social processes involved. Our findings strengthen and support the links between contextual factors and health inequalities, highlighting the relevance of downward social comparison, territorial segregation and stigmatization and erosion of social capital in the construction of social identities and the manifestation of social hierarchies and neighborhood structures in the Brazilian context. Ultimately, these create shame and stress but also pride and empowerment, which are recognized determinants of health inequities.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Grounded theory, Inequity, Social determinants of health, Social identity
in
International Journal for Equity in Health
volume
19
issue
1
article number
83
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85086052585
  • pmid:32503531
ISSN
1475-9276
DOI
10.1186/s12939-020-01196-2
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8cac99d4-cf0d-474b-bc06-fe54dde3ca77
date added to LUP
2020-07-03 09:58:41
date last changed
2024-04-03 10:03:45
@article{8cac99d4-cf0d-474b-bc06-fe54dde3ca77,
  abstract     = {{<p>The association between contextual factors and health inequalities is well documented, also in Brazil. However, questions about how contextual factors actually affect health and well-being persist. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how contextual factors-i.e., social stratification and neighborhood opportunity structures-are manifested in the lives of the residents of a vulnerable district in Brazil. We used a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach based on 12 in-depth interviews. The core category constructing social identity through multiple "us and them" is supported by eight main categories that characterize different pairs of "us and them", based on internal and external aspects of the social processes involved. Our findings strengthen and support the links between contextual factors and health inequalities, highlighting the relevance of downward social comparison, territorial segregation and stigmatization and erosion of social capital in the construction of social identities and the manifestation of social hierarchies and neighborhood structures in the Brazilian context. Ultimately, these create shame and stress but also pride and empowerment, which are recognized determinants of health inequities.</p>}},
  author       = {{Vincens, Natalia and Stafström, Martin and Ferreira, Efigênia and Emmelin, Maria}},
  issn         = {{1475-9276}},
  keywords     = {{Grounded theory; Inequity; Social determinants of health; Social identity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{International Journal for Equity in Health}},
  title        = {{Constructing social identity through multiple "us and them" : a grounded theory study of how contextual factors are manifested in the lives of residents of a vulnerable district in Brazil}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-01196-2}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12939-020-01196-2}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}